Fact-Finding

[Sorehl 0]

A joint log with Scott Coleridge, written with the "Commissioner"

 

Inside an interview room aboard the docked starship Yorktown, the Commissioner let his questions hang in the air. For the past half hour, he'd scribbled notes in Vulcan script as he asked about the nature and success of Aegis' mission to Cardassia Prime – some kind of "fact-finding" activity for the Federation Security Council.

 

Scott Coleridge wondered why he, as an assistant engineer, had been selected to answer such questions. He'd been assured the inquiry had no connection to the captain's court martial. Still, he found himself pointing out how the mission to stop Endeavor had been a form of humanitarian aid to the Cardassian homeworld. The Commissioner had raised an eyebrow at that, but simply took note.

 

"There are political elements who suggest," the final question had started, "that Aegis' continued presence is a liability and that it should pull out from Cardassian space. How would you respond to this? Do you agree?"

 

Scott shifted in his seat. He pondered for several moments before he finally said, "If it's the Cardassians who want us gone, that's one thing. It's their space; we should respect that. But as long as the Cardassians want us here, we have a great opportunity. Last year the Breen nearly destroyed Aegis - some might call that an act of war. So the Federation rebuilt Aegis, but if I recall reading the news correctly, the Cardassians lent us a fair amount of help. That's a big step away from the DMZ and state of near-hostilities prior to the Dominion War. If the Cardassian government does become more stable and regain its strength as an Alpha Quadrant power, then they will be a valuable ally. If we leave now, before that happens, it just creates a power vacuum in this region. And there's some who'd take advantage of that."

 

Scott paused and blinked. He certainly had not expected that speech. He had not thought this deeply about political matters since he switched from archaeology to engineering at the Academy. He had forgotten how much more complex people were than machines, and how much harder they were to fix.

 

The Commissioner scribbled, then set down the stylus and PADD. "Thank you, Mr. Coleridge," he indicated as he stood. He did not offer a handshake, but Scott didn't expect one. "Your participation is appreciated. If you should opt for your comments to remain private, I will ensure that none are attributed to you directly. I will provide a transcript of our discussion, and you are also entitled to a copy of the final report, once it is presented to committee."

 

Scott got up. "Thank you."

 

"My questions are not confidential, but I would prefer if you avoid discussing your specific answers with fellow officers until I have interviewed them. This will reduce bias," the Commissioner explained. "Again, thank you for your time."

 

Scott nodded and left the interview room.

 

Alone, Commissioner Sorehl reseated himself. He consulted his list, with its hundreds of names. In many ways, it was the opinions and impressions of the junior officers that would be most revealing. Most of them would be unaware of his identity or his past involvement with the station. He would start with them and continue until his mission was complete.

Edited February 4, 2008 by Sorehl

[Sorehl 0]

"Sorry, that was your final question," the security officer had said with finality. Lieutenant Commander Ronin Shephard moved his hand over the Commissioner's PADD, which had been recording their interview. "And if this conversation is used for something I don't like I'm going to come have a few words with you. So I would check with me first." And with that, he stood and promptly walked out of the briefing room, presumably off of the starship Yorktown itself.

 

Sorehl watched him go, placing the PADD and stylus down. In response to the somewhat abrupt end to his line of questioning, he allowed himself only a one-word comment: "Fascinating."

 

He'd been cautioned, and had witnessed himself, that Aegis personnel had grown to harbor a healthy mistrust of civilians - or was it just outsiders? Even if it was clear they didn't entirely agree what their mission was, they had a sense of loyalty to finishing it. What had Dr. Pavillion warned him? He checked the notes he had written in Vulcan script. "If I hear or find out that we're being pulled from Cardassia," he read from her interview, "as a medical officer, I will make sure you're evaluated by Starfleet Medical."

 

Perhaps I should have worn my uniform, Sorehl considered. No, he reasoned, it would imply a Starfleet mandate that is not present. Still, it might have put the more emotional ones at ease.

 

After dozens of sessions, there were few junior officers left for him to interview. It would be difficult to mesh their statements into a coherent picture of Aegis, especially if one were to evaluate the success of its mission. While several of those interviewed indicated Aegis' presence was diplomatic in nature and designed to bring the Cardassians back to the family of nations, they were divided on why Cardassia Prime was still so volatile. Other officers had suggested Sky Harbor was there to "keep the peace" or "to keep order and serve as a Federation presence", as Shephard had put it. An attempt to deconflict a rebuilding mission with a police action might explain some of the dualism observed on the station over the past eight years. The android Joy had given him a thorough, written response - such as one would expect from a member of that series, the Commissioner thought approvingly. She had mentioned the overwhelming duties of Aegis command attempting to serve as chief diplomat, policy maker, and military governor.

 

It was a difficult balancing act, he admitted. He knew all too well from his own command. It was for this cause he was dispatched to Sky Harbor - to help ascertain if it's mission could be more tightly defined and to offer suggestions on their future priorities.

 

He looked at his list. It would be necessary for him to go aboard in order to speak with Dr. Lepage, since the doctor was interred in sickbay. He would make a discreet transit tomorrow. If he could avoid conflict with the trial, it would be time to make inquiries with the command staff. He would begin there with Lieutenant Commander Hawke. He knew her mainly by reputation; she was a senior officer - no doubt it would be an unemotional affair.

[Sorehl 0]

Commissioner Sorehl reviewed the official diplomatic memorandum he'd received from Ambassador Einya trAeolix of the Romulan Star Empire. He appreciated the swiftness, considering his knowledge that such a response was usually vetted by a political officer through a Senate subcommittee before transmission.

 

It would be necessary, of course, to maintain the privacy of this response until his official written report to the Security Council, but he would be able to share general Romulan sentiment in confering with the commanding officer of Aegis.

 

Had he not possessed the benefit of emotional mastery, Sorehl might have been amused at the revisionist tone of the Ambassador's "understanding" of the Aegis Mission. His implication that the Federation had assumed dominance of Sky Harbor was clearly at odds with the waning interest the Romulans had shown toward assigning their officers to this "remote" station. But that was a matter for open discussion; he would not dismiss the trAeolix's perspective simply because he disagreed with it.

 

He was mildly surprised to detect an undertone of Romulan interest in a returning presence. Recent experience had suggested they were pulling back into what might be another round of isolationism.

 

It was of additional interest to note Romulan concern, whether real or feigned, in the independence of Cardassia. While Sorehl disagreed with the assessment of Cardassia Prime as a Federation protectorate, the concern for sovereignty was not unique to the Romulans. Cardassia could hardly be considered occupied space with such a minimal Starfleet presence, but the sentiment of Aegis as the Federation's "eye in the sky" was not uncommon. It was for this reason his inquiry included questions about the role of their government in self-determination - would the Cardassian's be given a say over the continued presence of Aegis?

 

He transferred the response into his database, noting his own observations in Vulcan script. He made a note of appreciation to the Ambassador, along with a promise to share his recommendations. He also promised to provide a copy of the finished report.

 

So much for platitudes. In the darkness of his interview room aboard the Yorktown, he reviewed the responses he was still anticipating. He was not certain he had reached the Admiral in his retirement. The Romulans considered Aegis' mission a failure, even if it's crew did not. And yet they seemed willing to pursue it, to expand it. He wondered what the Gorn and the Klingons would say...

Edited February 4, 2008 by Sorehl

[Sorehl 0]

The Commissioner left Ensign Feretti in the science lab, having completed one of the last interviews he'd intended. Although the young officer was relatively new to the station, she had provided insightful answers as to the current impressions of Aegis' mission and future. She seemed somehow familiar, as if he'd seen her before. He would have to consult his records. She had clearly not known him.

 

He stepped onto the lift, preparing to return to the Yorktown. Thusfar, he'd managed to avoid disrupting station activity and being drawn into the ongoing legal activity.

 

In addition to the station-bound portion of his inquiry, he had received subspace responses from several external sources. Under the watchful eye of Starfleet security, he further proposed to talk with Cardassian officials selected by Ambassador shiKatsu Raumuk; he preferred to do that planetside, but would yield if security insisted the visits take place onboard. The Security Council would appreciate that his report would weave in perspectives as diverse as the station's past and present crew, former command staff, and a certain Ferengi who'd been invaluable in establishing the station. Diplomatic insights had also been provided from the Joy series, former envoy T'Salik, and Jeralla Ramson. On the trip to Sky Harbor, he'd even let Captain Halloway recount some of his prior visits. He had not yet heard back from the Gorn and Romulan representatives he had contacted, but there was still time.

 

None of those impressions, of course, displaced his own fully-formed opinions. He was too familiar with the station's history to let any one respondant sway his own perceptions.

 

He'd been advised that Lieutenant Commander Hawke would probably offer written comments, but she might yet be able to speak to him. He had not yet made it a personal request, invoking only his credentials. He could no doubt corner Commander Brown on the Control Tower, but it might be less challenging to speak with him in a neutral setting like Drankum's. It would no longer be necessary to avoid common knowledge of his presence, and it would offer him a chance to speak with some of the civilians, as well. Reaching Muon during the trial might prove difficult, but in the end, she was one of the intended recipients of his report. He would not proceed without her - or whomever would become Aegis' next CO.

 

The conduct of a court-martial amidst this investigation was disconcerting. Curiously, for those respondants who had cited Aegis' diplomatic role as primary, many referred to this recent action as the most significant contribution to peace. Encouraging that it seemed to be so widely regarded by the crew, disturbing that it seemed shrouded in secrecy and that its legality was in dispute.

 

As a civil servant empowered by the Council, he did not consider it within his mandate to involve himself in the proceedings in any official way. He still believed that to be true. Still, if its subject had impressed so much of the crew with having best fulfilled Aegis' mission, perhaps he could simply observe. He still had his clearance. Perhaps it was time to see just what was going on.

[Sorehl 0]

“First of all, Ambassador Sidega,” Commissioner Sorehl began, PADD in hand, “allow me to thank you for agreeing to this interview via subspace.”

 

Onscreen, Sevolth Sidega of the Gorn Alliance nodded imperceptibly.

 

“You have had an opportunity to review my written questions,” the Vulcan continued. “For the sake of clarity, I will pose them to you one at a time and record your response.” He paused, noting another silent acknowledgement. He realized he had little to no experience with the Gorn as a species and hoped he was reading the body language appropriately. “Very well,” he pressed on. “In your opinion, what is the Federation's intent for Sky Harbor Aegis within the Cardassian system? In your time aboard, do you feel that you contributed to this mission?”

 

Sevolth slid forward, the skin tightening around his face in what Sorehl believed could be a Gorn smile. “What the Federation’s has purposed for its station is your business,” he stated articulately. “What I was ‘sold’ was a place where species could come together and work on building a stable and peaceful environment for the Cardassian people.” His hand appeared from below screen, hefting a sizeable tankard with some odd colored liquid. He took a sizable sip. “From your staffing practices, I've taken its mission is to simply keep an eye of the rabble down there so there's not another war. And I am afraid I aided in neither mission.”

 

Sorehl considered pointing out that he was a civilian agent, no longer part of Starfleet, and had nothing to do with the station’s staffing, but let the statement stand. “Why do you think the Cardassians have been unable to form a stable government eight years after the cessation of hostilities?”

 

Onscreen, the Gorn’s gaze remained impassive, almost a stone cold gaze. “Because it takes more than eight years to form a stable government,” Ambassador Sidega replied. He loosened his gaze. “And the people must want peace,” he emphasized, looking to the side. “Little can be achieved without that.”

 

“Would you agree with elements who suggest Aegis has finished or failed its mission and should pull out from Cardassian space?”

 

Sevolth shook his head. “Your mission is not done and is not beyond success.” He paused. “Just…don't let your own people's growing pains hurt the Cardassian’s efforts. And I think your original Aegis had a good idea in making itself a fortress with short arms.”

 

An upraised eyebrow preceded the comment, “I’m not sure I follow.”

 

“The ‘T-Rex’ design philosophy, I believe,” the Gorn explained. “I had to look up what a ‘Tee-Rex’ was after being called it a dozen times during an... interesting ambassadorial debate with one of your humans. Keep all the teeth you want in your mouth but keep your reach close and out of other peoples business.”

 

An analogy consistent with Gorn attitudes, Sorehl thought. “What, if anything, can be gained by Aegis' continued presence near Cardassia Prime? What should its remaining priorities be?”

 

There was little pause before Sevolth’s answer. “Peace can be maintained.” He went on. “You've played the over-meddling schoolmaster... don't play the abandoning parent now.”

 

Clearly, the Commissioner noted, the ambassador had some particular incidents in mind. He took note in his own Vulcan script to review station events during the Gorn’s stay.

 

“Focus on Cardassians,” he was continuing onscreen. “Focus on THEIR culture, THEIR strengths, THEIR WISHES. Always remember you are the guests in that part of space.”

 

A matter of some debate among the respondents, Sorehl observed, but it led well into his final questions. “In your opinion, do the Cardassians favor Aegis' continued presence, ignore it, or object to it as a foreign incursion? “

 

The Gorn’s expression was difficult to interpret. “They've....dealt with it. I would assume each Cardassian would have their own viewpoint on that question ranging from ‘Blow it up’ to ‘Aegis what?’".

 

“Then, should the Cardassians have a voice in whether Sky Harbor remains in their space?”

 

“That is up to you to decide,” Ambassador Sidega answered evasively. He took another sip of the oddly-colored liquid. “I would highly recommend persuading them to let you stay, but it is their home we're talking about.”

 

* * * * *

 

The interview ended with pleasantries before the signal was cut on both ends. One more viewpoint to integrate into his perspective and ultimately, into his report. Sorehl looked about the darkened interview room on the Yorktown, deciding it was finally time to come out of the shadows. He wondered if Drankum's was still open at all hours...